"Your mother's dead, before long I'll be dead, and you...and your brother and your sister and all of her children, all of us dead, all of us..rotting in the ground. It's the family name that lives on. It's all that lives on. Not your personal glory, not your honor, but family." - Tywin Lannister

Russia has oil, gas, gold, diamonds, nickel, timber, agriculture, coal...basically every single commodity you can name. They have much lower taxes than the US and almost everywhere in the west. Their currency is devalued at the moment.

MOSCOW—A top Russian Central Bank official poured cold water on the Kremlin's hopes of reversing the country's slowdown in economic growth.

"We at the central bank of the Russian Federation assume that in Russia... economic growth roughly matches its potential," Central Bank first deputy chairman Alexei Ulyukayev told an economic forum in Moscow on Wednesday, just hours before Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the government would push for growth of at least 5% in 2013, up from 3.5% in 2012.

That gap underlines the dilemma the Kremlin faces as it tries to boost growth as demand for its main exports of oil, gas and metals stagnates or falls.

"The government's main aim is to reach steady economic growth of at least 5% [a year], and achieve stable growth of Russian citizens' wellbeing," Mr. Medvedev said at the same conference.

Russia hasn't seen that level of growth since 2008, and even official forecasts say it is unlikely to reach it again soon. Mr. Medvedev called for more steps to improve the business climate and loosen state control of the economy, but so far reforms and privatization push are stumbling.

The World Economic Forum has cautioned that Russia's economy is at a crossroads and significant changes are needed in order to stabilise and sustain growth and prevent social unrest.

In WEF's benchmark Scenarios for the Russian Federation report, the group outlined three scenarios for the Russian economy, which all paint a bleak outlook unless significant changes in its domestic institutional environment are made as the country's GDP is so closely tied to oil prices.

Russia has enjoyed record growth rates and a dramatic rise in living standards for much of its urban population after the spectacular rise in oil prices from 2000 to 2008, in tandem with economic reforms of the early 2000s, fostered a more stable environment [Figure 1].

Despite being hit hard by the global economic crisis in 2008 and 2009, the country even managed to rebound from an 8 percent drop in the economy, within a couple of years.

But as IBTimes UK detailed in December last year, Russia faces a drop in 2013 GDP to 2.5 percent, from 3.4 percent in 2012. Forecasts also detail a 1.6 percent rise in inflation to reach 6.7 percent by the end of this year for Russia.

Supporting this, WEF says that this growth trajectory is not sustainable and significant challenges remain, particularly in reducing the country's strong reliance on its oil and gas exports and in revitalising the economy

On the other hand:

Russia is to become Europe's leading economy by 2030, surpassing Germany, and pushing the UK out of the top 10 by 2050, according to a new report titled Brics and Beyond released by PricewaterhouseCoopers. But should we believe them?

It's not to say that Russia isn't able to become a leader. The largest oil producer in the world, and with its 2011 GDP (PPP) ranking just below Germany, Russia does seem like a candidate to become Europe's leading economy by 2030 and stay that way well into 2050. But that's only if you make a prognosis based on the utopia that strict economic policies, not politics, rule these wintery lands.

Russia, although a candidate to become Europe's leading economy judging by the growth of its PPP, is still a country that can take an unpredictable turn and is likely to never find a path to European economic leadership, regardless of its proven oil and gas reserves, strategic location or any other benefits it might have. If Russia is going to become a leading European economy by 2030, it certainly needs to fix its own economy – something this country's current leadership is unlikely to attain.

Good luck shorting Apple, not buying Gold, and investing in North Korea. I think this guy is not really thinking straight. Russia might be a good investment now, but Putin is not well liked, not just in America, but also in Russia.

Good luck shorting Apple, not buying Gold, and investing in North Korea. I think this guy is not really thinking straight. Russia might be a good investment now, but Putin is not well liked, not just in America, but also in Russia.

Jim Rogers has been quite successful with his predictions. He shorted Apple in September when it was at its $700 peak; it's now $450/$460, so Rogers said he may cover his shorts. He's not buying gold now because gold has been up every year for the last 12 years, which according to him is extremely unusual for any asset. Rogers already bought his gold, and would only buy more if it goes lower.

And North Korea is an interesting play. Like Rogers said, there are few ways to play that market, but he expects North Korea to have drastic changes in the next 5-10 years, possibly reuniting with the South. Certainly North Korea would be an incredible place to put your money if that were to happen as almost everyone's eyes pop out when you mention investing in North Korea. That presents opportunity.

My gripe with his Russian investment idea is that it's very easy to put money into an investment in Russia.

Now getting the money out, is a different story.

Extremely corrupt. Two of the best investors I know who've done deals in Russia won't touch it for that simple reason.

"Your mother's dead, before long I'll be dead, and you...and your brother and your sister and all of her children, all of us dead, all of us..rotting in the ground. It's the family name that lives on. It's all that lives on. Not your personal glory, not your honor, but family." - Tywin Lannister

Russia has oil, gas, gold, diamonds, nickel, timber, agriculture, coal...basically every single commodity you can name. They have much lower taxes than the US and almost everywhere in the west. Their currency is devalued at the moment.

There are risks, but Russia has so much potential.

And some of the most beautiful and well-educated women in the world.

Originally Posted by Ron Paul

The government is incapable of doing what it's supposed to do. A job like the provision of security is something best left to private institutions.

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